THE BEST LAWYERS AT ONE OF THE BEST LAW FIRMS

Recognized as one of the top Employee Rights Law Firms in California

Lee Feldman Partner

*protected email**protected email*

Lee Feldman is the founding partner of Feldman Browne Olivares, APC., and is widely recognized as one of the top employment lawyers in California, having been named to the Daily Journal’s list of the Top Labor and Employment Lawyers in California in each of the past five (5) consecutive years, to Best Lawyers in America for five (5) consecutive years, and to LA Magazine’s Southern California Super Lawyers list for 11 straight years. The Feldman Browne Olivares firm has been has been awarded the top “Tier-1” ranking in employment law by US News & World Report in its annual Best Law Firms rankings in each of the past five (5) years.

For more than 20 years, Mr. Feldman has exclusively represented California employees, recovering hundreds of millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements on behalf of California workers and their families, including more than $80,000,000 and eighteen (18) seven figure verdicts in the 2012-2016 time period alone.

Mr. Feldman has extensive trial experience, but has also successfully resolved numerous cases for maximum value before trial. He has prevailed in arbitrations, bench trials and jury trials, winning millions in trial and also settling numerous seven figure cases before trial. Mr. Feldman and his firm have developed a reputation for aggressive, hard-hitting litigation, successfully vindicating the rights of individual workers against the largest and wealthiest employers.

When not in the office, championing the rights of the California Worker, and generally fighting the Forces of Evil, Mr. Feldman can typically be found at home, where he spends “quality time” with his wife and daughter, or out in the yard feeding large animals and small defense lawyers to his killer dog, Ryder.

Honors and Awards

For five (5) years in a row (2013-2017), Mr. Feldman has been named by the California’s preeminent legal newspaper, The Daily Journal, as one of California Top Labor & Employment Lawyers. (Less than 15-25 plaintiff’s-side lawyers are awarded this honor annually). Less than 10 Plaintiff’s employment lawyers have been named to the list in each of the past 5 years.

Named one of the Best Lawyers in America in each of the past five (5) consecutive years by Woodward & White and the Best Lawyers publication: a distinction awarded the top 1% of lawyers rated by their colleagues.

Named a Southern California Super Lawyer for eleven (11) consecutive years from 2007-2017: a distinction awarded the top 5% of Southern California lawyers based on peer balloting.

Finalist for CAOC’s 2012 Street Fighter of the Year Award

Education and Bar Admissions

Boston University School of Law, J.D., 1991

Emory University, B.A., 1986

Bar Admissions:
o 2003 California State Courts and
o United States District Court, 9th Circuit

Professional Associations and Committee Positions

California Employment Lawyers Association (CELA)

Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC)

Consumer Attorneys of Los Angeles (CAALA)

The Los Angeles County Bar Association Labor and Employment Law Section

Significant Single-Plaintiff Cases:

1. Brim v. International Union of Operating Engineers (Los Angeles Superior Court Case No. BC445400), in which a Los Angeles jury awarded $5,500,000 ($4,500,000 for emotional distress damages) to Mr. Brim, who was retaliated against and wrongfully fired in violation of the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) for standing up for his female coworker who was being sexually harassed in the workplace and for refusing to lie about what he personally witnessed.

2. Noe v. AEG/Levy obtained an $8,000,000 settlement for thousands of food and drink vendors, most of whom worked a single sporting event and were denied minimum wage. The settlement paid each vendor about 800% of their actual lost wages.

3. Dudley v. SBC Communications ($6,700,000). Mr. Feldman turned a single-plaintiff case for CFRA/FMLA violations into what is believed to be the first class action lawsuit seeking economic and emotional distress damages for violations of California’s Family Rights Act. The case was ultimately settled for $6,700,000 and SBC agreed to change its policies to avoid future interference with employees: CFRA rights and maintain their privacy rights. In addition, thousands of employees suspended for CFRA absences were granted a paid day off.

6. John Doe v. Fortune 50 Corp. ($1,400,000). Mr. Feldman obtained $1,400,000 for an older worker fired due to age and whistleblowing activity.

7. Jane Doe v. Large Corporate Employer ($1,200,000.00). Prior to hiring Mr. Feldman, Plaintiff had been negotiating a severance package worth between $50,000 and $75,000. After filing a lawsuit for sexual harassment and retaliatory discharge, and taking numerous depositions, Mr. Feldman won a settlement of $1,200,000.00.

8. John Doe v. ABC Corporation ($1,712,000.00). Three employees claiming wrongful termination or constructive discharge. Two of the cases were dropped by another lawyer, who advised the clients to dismiss for a waiver of costs. The lawyer thought so little of the third client’s case that he never filed the lawsuit. Mr. Feldman took over the two dropped cases, obtaining a settlement of $1,000,000.00. He filed the third case against the lawyer that had failed to file the lawsuit, obtaining a settlement of $712,000.

9. Jane Doe v. Nationwide Chain ($1,250,000). paid on claim for wrongful termination in violation of public policy. Plaintiff was fired for refusing to compromise patient care in pursuit of profits.

10. Jane Doe v. Large Manufacturer ($1,350,000). Mr. Feldman obtained a 1.35 million dollar settlement for a worker who incurred losses of roughly $65,000 when she was fired from her job in violation of her FMLA rights.

11. John Doe v. Cable Company ($975,000). Mr. Feldman obtained this settlement on a racial discrimination claim where the wrongfully fired employee had lost wages of roughly $55,000 and no other lawyer would take his case.

12. Vo v. Las Virgenes Municipal Water District (2000) 79 Cal.App.4th 440. The Court of Appeal affirmed an award of $470,000 in attorney’s fees on a verdict of $37,500 because the employer had failed to make a reasonable settlement offer, thereby forcing Mr. Feldman to try a low-damage case and expend vast amounts in fees and costs. The Court of Appeals also awarded appellate fees, bringing the total award to more than $600,000.

Class Action Settlements:

2. $6,800,000 Dudley v. AT&T [First CFRA/FMLA class action brought on behalf of employees from whom private medical information was demanded and who were fired in violation of the California Family Rights Act]